In March 2009, YouTube was blocked in Bangladesh after a video was posted that revealed the military’s discontent with how the government was handling a mutiny by border guards in Dhaka. In May 2010, the Government of Bangladesh blocked access to Facebook, a popular social networking site, after the arrest of a youth for uploading satiric images of some politicians, including the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. Most recently, on 17 September 2012, YouTube was banned for the second time following the controversy surrounding “Innocence of Muslims,” an anti-Islamic movie trailer. These government actions stand in stark contradiction not only to the government’s own vision of a “Digital Bangladesh”, but also to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to human decency.

We are deeply dismayed at the government’s plan to set up a localized version of YouTube in Bangladesh, thereby giving itself the power to block inconvenient content, and we call on the Government of Bangladesh to stop censoring the Internet.

Freedom of speech and expression is essential to both development and a well-functioning democracy. We believe in an educated citizenry and a free Bangladesh where ideas are openly disseminated, discussed, and debated. Progress is possible only if one considers all ideas, from whatever source, and tests one's own convictions against opposing views. The citizens of Bangladesh have a right not to be treated like children. They have a right to decide for themselves which opinions are hateful or offensive, whether to watch a controversial clip on YouTube or to snub it. We will not surrender the power to make these decisions to the Government of Bangladesh without making our voices heard, for history has taught us that government is more apt to use this power to persecute vulnerable groups than to protect the public good. If the people of Bangladesh are to be the masters of their fate and of their elected government, they must be well-informed and have access to all points of view. Ignorance is a breeding ground for oppression and tyranny. Censorship fits authoritarian governments such as those in Saudi Arabia and North Korea, but not the proud nation of Bangladesh.

In addition to being a moral right, the right to free speech is also a universal human right. It is enshrined in Article 19 of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Furthermore, the honorable Prime Minister’s aspirational goal of a “Digital Bangladesh” presupposes that the citizens have free access to information. Any action taken to limit the free flow of information severely undermines the present government’s commitment to its own stated vision of a “Digital Bangladesh”. The government’s current ban of YouTube and the proposed continued censorship of the content therein will not only delegitimize the government’s own political standing and technology policies in the short term, but will also impugn on the current government’s legacy. There is no doubt that history will judge internet censorship harshly and the current government, instead of being remembered for its promotion of a “Digital Bangladesh”, will likely be remembered more for censorship’s crippling effect on democracy and “Digital Bangladesh”.

Internet censorship gives the government the power to determine what information citizens can consume on the internet. The practice is an attack on the right to freedom of speech and expression, and a threat to democracy and development.

I and the other signatories of this petition letter are deeply dismayed at your plan to set up a localized version of YouTube in Bangladesh, thereby giving yourself the power to block inconvenient content, and we call on the Government of Bangladesh to stop censoring the Internet.

Freedom of speech and expression is essential to both development and a well-functioning democracy. We believe in an educated citizenry and a free Bangladesh where ideas are openly disseminated, discussed, and debated. Progress is possible only if one considers all ideas, from whatever source, and tests one's own convictions against opposing views. The citizens of Bangladesh have a right not to be treated like children. They have a right to decide for themselves which opinions are hateful or offensive, whether to watch a controversial clip on YouTube or to snub it. We will not surrender the power to make these decisions to the Government of Bangladesh without making our voices heard, for history has taught us that government is more apt to use this power to persecute vulnerable groups than to protect the public good. If the people of Bangladesh are to be the masters of their fate and of their elected government, they must be well-informed and have access to all points of view. Ignorance is a breeding ground for oppression and tyranny. Censorship fits authoritarian governments such as those in Saudi Arabia and North Korea, but not the proud nation of Bangladesh.

In addition to being a moral right, the right to free speech is also a universal human right. It is enshrined in Article 19 of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Furthermore, the honorable Prime Minister’s aspirational goal of a “Digital Bangladesh” presupposes that the citizens have free access to information. Any action taken to limit the free flow of information severely undermines the present government’s commitment to its own stated vision of a “Digital Bangladesh”. The government’s current ban of YouTube and the proposed continued censorship of the content therein will not only delegitimize the government’s own political standing and technology policies in the short term, but will also impugn on the current government’s legacy. There is no doubt that history will judge internet censorship harshly and the current government, instead of being remembered for its promotion of a “Digital Bangladesh”, will likely be remembered more for censorship’s crippling effect on democracy and “Digital Bangladesh”.

Government actions in recent years stand in stark contradiction not only to the government’s own policies, but also to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to human decency. In March 2009, YouTube was blocked in Bangladesh after a video was posted that revealed the military’s discontent with how the government was handling a mutiny by border guards in Dhaka. In May 2010, the Government of Bangladesh blocked access to Facebook, a popular social networking site, after the arrest of a youth for uploading satiric images of some politicians, including the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. Most recently, on 17 September 2012, YouTube was banned for the second time following the controversy surrounding “Innocence of Muslims,” an anti-Islamic movie trailer.

Internet censorship gives the government the power to determine what information citizens can consume on the internet. The practice is an attack on the right to freedom of speech and expression, and a threat to democracy and development.

We urge you to stop censoring the Internet, and to instantly halt your plans to establish a localized version of YouTube in Bangladesh. We recognize that this takes political courage, but we trust that you will do the right thing.